Sighs from Hell, Commentary · Verse 28
Verse 28.
For I have five Brethren, that he may testifie unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
THese words are [if I may so say] a reason given by those in hell, why they are so restless, and do cry so loud, it is that their companions might be delivered from those intolerable torments, which they must and shall undergo, if they fall short of everlasting life by Jesus Christ. Send him to my Fathers house, for I have five brethren, &c. Though while they lived among them in the world, they were not so sensible of their ruine, yet now they are passed out of the world, and do partake of that which before they were warned of, they can I say, then cry out, now I find that to be true indeed, which was once and again told, and declared to me, that it would certainly come to pass.
For I have five brethren] Here you may see, that there may be, and are, whole housholds in a damnable state and condition, as our Lord Jesus doth by this signifie. Send him to my Fathers house, for they are all in one state, I left all my brethren in a pittiful case. People while they live here, cannot indure to hear that they should be all in a miserable condition; but when they are under the wrath of God, they see it, they know it, and are very sure of it; for they themselves, when they were in the world, lived as they do, but they fell short of Heaven, and therefore if they go on, so shall they. Oh therefore send him quickly to my Fathers house, for all the house is in an undone condition, and must be damned if they continue so.
The thing observable is this, namely, that those that are in hell, do not desire that their companions should come thither; nay, rather saith he, send him to my Fathers house, and let him testifie to them that are therein, lest they also come, &c
Quest. But some may say, what should be the reason, that the damned should desire not to have their companions come into the same condition that they are fallen into, but rather, that they might be kept from it, and escape that dreadful state.
Answ. I do believe there is scarce so much love in any of the damned in hell, as really to desire the salvation of any. But in that there is any desire in them that are damned, that their friends and relations should not come into that place of torment▪ It appears to me, to be rather for their own ease, then for their neighbours good; for let me tell you, this I do believe, that it will aggravate the grief and horrour of them, to see their ungodly neighbours in the like destruction with them: For where the ungodlie do live, and die, and descend into the pit together, the one is rather a vexation to the other, than any thing else. And it must needs be so, because there are no ungodlie people, that do live ungodlie together; but they do learn ill examples one of another, as thus. If there live one in the Town that is verie expert and cunning for the World, why now the rest that are of the same mind with him, they will labour to imitate and follow his steps: this is commonlie seen.
Again, If there be one given to drunkenness, others of the Town through his means, …un the more into that sin with him, and do accustom themselves the more unto it, because of his inticing them, and also by setting such an ill example before them. And so if there be any addicted to pride, and must needs be in all the newest fashions, how do their example provoke others to love and follow the same vanitie; spending that upon their lusts, which should relieve their own and others wants. Also if there be any given to jesting, scoffing, lying, whoring, backbiting, junketting, wantonness, or any other sin; they that are most expert in these things, do oft-times intangle others, that peradventure would not have been so vile as now they are, had they not had such an example, and hence they are called corruptors. Isa. 1. 4.
Now these will by their doings, exceedingly aggravate the condemnation of one another. He that did set his Neighbour an ill example, and thereby caused him to walk in sin: He will be found one cause of his friends destruction, insomuch, that he will have to answer for his own sins, and for a great part of his Neighbours too, which will still add to his destruction: as that Scripture in Ezekiel, sheweth, where speaking of the watchman, that should give the people warning, if he did not, though the man did die in his sins, yet his blood should be required at the Watchmans hand, Ezek 33.
So here let me tell thee, that if thou shouldest be such an one, as by thy conversation and practices, shalt be a trap and a stumbling-block, to cause thy neighbour to fall into eternal ruine, though he be damned for his own sin; yet God may, nay, he will charge thee, as being guiltie of his blood, in that thou didst not content thy self to keep from Heaven thy self, but didst also by thy filthy conversation, keep away others, and cause them to fall with thee. O therefore, will not this aggravate thy torment? Yea, if thou shouldest die, and go to Hell before thy neighbour, or companions, besides the guilt of thine own sins, thou wouldest be so …oaden with the fear of the damnation of others to be laid to thy charge, that thou wouldest cry cut; O send one from the dead, to this companion, and that companion, with whom I had society in my life-time, for I see my cursed carriage will be one cause of his condemnation, if he fall short of glory.
I left him living in foul and hainous offences: But I was one of the first instruments to bring him to them. Oh, I shall be guilty both of mine own, and his damnation too! O that he might be kept out hence, lest my torment be aggravated by his coming …ither.
For where ungodly people do dwel together, they being a snare and stumbling Block one to another by their practices, they must needs be a Torment one to another, and an aggravation of each others damnation. O cursed be thy Face, saith one, that ever I set mine Eyes on thee: It was long of thee; I may thank thee: It was thee that did intice me and insnare me: It was your filthy conversation that was as a stumbling-block to me: It was your Covetousness, it was your Pride, your haunting the Alehouse, your Gaming and Whoring: It was long of you, that I fell short of life; if you had set me a good Example, as you did set me an ill one, it may be I might have done better then now I do: But I learned of you, I followed your steps, I took counsel of you. O that I had never seen thy face! O that thou hadst never bin born, to do my Soul this wrong as you have done: O saith the other, And I may as much blame you; for do not you remember how at such a time, and at such a time, you drew me out, and drew me away, and asked me if I would go with you, when I was going about other business, about my Calling, but you called me away, you sent for me, you are as much in the fault as I; though I were covetous you were proud; and if you learned Covetousness of me, I learned Pride and Drunkenness of you: Though I learned you to cheat, you learned me to where to lye, to scoff at goodness. Though I base Wretch did stumble you in some things, yet you did as much stumble me in others. I can blame you, as you blame me▪ and if I have to answer for some of your most … …, you have to answer for some of mine. I would you had not come hither, the very looks of you doth wou…d my Soul, by bringing my sins afresh into my mind, the time when, the manner how, the place where, the persons with whom: It was with you, you! grief to my Soul! since I could not shun thy company there, Oh! that I had been without thy company here.
I say therefore, for these that have sinned together, to go to Hell together, it will very much perplex and torment them both. Therefore I judge this is one Reason, why they that are in Hell do desire, that their Friends, or Companions, do not come thither into the same place of Torment that they are in. And therefore, where Christ saith, that these Damned Souls cry out, Send to our Companions, that they may be warned and commanded to look to themselves. O send to my five Brethren: It is because they would not have their own Torments heigh…ned by their Company; and a sense, yea, a continual sense of their sins, which they did cause them to commit, when they were in the World with them. For I do believe, that the very looks of those that have been beguiled by their Fellows, I say, their very looks will be a Torment to them: For thereby will the Remembrance of their own sins be kept (if possible) the fresher on their Consciences, which they committed with them; and also they will wonderfully have the guilt of the others sins upon them, in that they were partly the cause of his committing them, being Instruments in the Hands of the Devil to draw them into. And therefore, lest this come to pass, I pray thee send him to my Fathers house. For if they might not come hither, peradventure my Torment might have some mitigation; that is, If they might be saved, then their sins will be pardoned, and not so heavily charged on my Soul. But if they do fall into the same place where I am, the sins that I have caused them to commit will lie so heavy, not onelyonly on their Souls, but also on mine, that they will sink me into Eternal Misery, deeper and deeper. O therefore send him to my Fathers house, to my five Brethren, and let him testifie to them, lest they come into this place of torment.
These words being thus understood: What a condition doth it shew them to be in then, that now so much delight in being the very Ring-Leaders of their Companions, into sinnes of all sorts whatsoever.
While men live here, if they can be counted the cunningest in Cheating, the boldest for Lying, the archest for Whoring, the subtillest for Covering, and getting the World: If they can but cunningly defraud undermine, cross, and anger their Neighbours; y…a, and hinder them from the means of Grace, the Gospel of Christ; They glory in't, take a pride in't, and think themselves pretty well at ease, and their Minds are somewhat quiet, being beguiled with sin.
But Friend, when thou hast lost this life, and dost begin to lift up thine Eyes in Hell, and seest what thy sins have brought thee to; and not onelyonly so, but that thou by thy filthy sinnes did'st cause others, (Devil-like) to fall into the same condemnation with thee: And that one of the Reasons of their Damnation was this, that thou didst lead them to the Commission of those wicked practices of this World, and the Lusts thereof. Then, Oh! that some body would stop them from coming, lest they also come into this place of Torment, and be damned as I am: How will it torment me? Balaam could not be contented to be damned himself, but also he must by his wickedness cause others to stumble and fall. The Scribes and Pharisees could not be content to keep out of Heaven themselves, but they must labour to keep out others too. Therefore, theirs is the greater Damnation.
The Deceived cannot be content to be deceived himself, but he must labour to deceive others also. The Drunkard cannot be content to go to Hell for his own sins, but he must labour to cause others to fall into the same Furnace with him. But look to your selves, for here will be Damnation upon Damnation, damned for thy own sins, and damned for thy being a partaker with others in their sins; and damned for being guilty of the damnation of others. O how will the Drunkard cry, for leading their Neighbours into drunkenness? How will the covetous person howl for setting his Neighbour, his Friend, his Brother; his Children and Relations, so wicked an Example; by which he hath not onelyonly wronged his own soul, but also the souls of others. The Liar, by lying, learned others to lie; The Swearer learned others to swear; The Whore-Monger learned others to whore.
Now all these, with others of the like sort, will be guilty, not onelyonly of their own damnation, but also of the damnation of others. I tell you, that some men have so much been the Authors of the damnation of others, that I am ready to think, that the damnation of them will trouble them, as much as their own damnation. Some Men (it is to be feared) at the Day of Judgment, will be found to be the Authour of destroying whole Nations. How many Souls do you think Balaam, with his deceit, will have to answer for? How many, Mahomet? How many, the Pharisees, That hired the Souldiers to say the Disciples stole away Jesus? Mat. 28. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. And by that means stumbled their Brethren to this day; and was one means of hindring them from believing the Things of God and Jesus Christ; and so the cause of the damnation of their Brethren to this very day.
How many poor Souls hath Bonner to answer for think you? and several filthy blind Priests? How many Souls have they been the means of destroying, by their Ignorance, and corrupt Doctrine? Preaching, that was no better to their Souls, than Rats-bane to the Body, for filthy Lucres sake. They shall see, that they, many of them, it is to be feared, will have whole Towns to answer for; whole Cities to answer for. Ah Friend, I tell thee, thou that hast taken in hand to preach to the People, it may be thou hast taken in hand thou canst not tell what: Will it not grieve thee, to see thy whole Parish come bellowing after thee to Hell, crying out, This we may thank thee for, this is long of thee, thou did… not teach us the Truth; Thou didst l…d us away with Fables, thou wast afraid to tell us of our sin▪ lest we should not put Meat fast enough in thy Mouth. O cu…sed wretch, that ever thou should'st beguile us thus! deceive us thus! flatter us thus! We would have gone out to hear the Word abroad, but that thou didst reprove us; and also tell us, That that which we see now is the way of God▪ was Heresie, and a deceivable Doctrine▪ and wast no… contented (blind Guide as thou wert) to f…ll into the Ditch thy self, but hast also led us thither with thee.
I say, look to thy self, lest thou cry out when it is too late: Send Lazarus to my people, my friends, my Children, my Congregation to whom I Preached, and beguiled through my folly. Send him to the Town in which I did Preach last, lest I be the cause of their damnation. Send him to my friends from whence I came, lest I be made to answer for their Soul and mine own too, Ezek. 33. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
O send him therefore, and let him tell them, and testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Consider this ye that live in the world, while you are in the land of the living, lest you fall into this condition. Set case thou shouldest by thy carriage destroy but a soul, but one poor soul, by one of thy carriages, or actions, by thy sinful works; consider it now, I say, lest thou be forced to cry, I pray thee therefore that thou wouldest send him to my fathers house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
If so, then I shall not only say to the blind guides, look you to your selves, and shut out others: no, but this doth reach in all those that do not only keep souls from heaven by preaching, and the like, but speaks forth the doom of those that shall any wayes be instrument… to hinder others for closing in with Jesus Christ. O what red lines will those be against all these rich ungodly Landlords, that so keep under their poor Tenants, that they dare not go out to hear the word, for fear their Rent should be raised, or they turned out of their houses. What sayest thou, Landlord, will it not cut thy soul, when thou shalt see that thou couldest not be content to miss of heaven thy self, but thou must labour to hinder others also? Will it not give thee an eternal wound in thy heart, both at death and judgment, to be accused of the ruine of thy neighbours soul, thy servants soul, thy wives soul, together with the ruine of thy own. Think on this you drunken, proud, rich, and scornful Landlords, think on this you mad-brain'd blasphemous Husbands, that are against the godly and chaste conversation of your Wives; also you that hold your Servants so hard to it, that you will not spare them time to hear the word, unless it be where, and when your lusts will let you. If you love your own souls, your Tenants souls, your Wives souls, your Servants souls, your Childrens souls: if you would not cry, if you would not howl, if you would not bear the burden of the ruine of others for ever; then I beseech you to consider this doleful story, and labour to avoid the soul-killing torment that this poor wretch groaneth under, when he saith, I pray thee therefore that thou wouldest send him to my fathers house.
For I have five brethren, that he may testify. Mark, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
These words have still something more in them then I have yet observed from them; there are one or two things more that I shall briefly touch upon, and therefore, Mark, he saith, That he may testify unto them, &c. Mark I pray you, and take notice of the word, Testify. He doth not say, and let him go unto them, or speak with, or tell them such and such things. No, but let him testify, or affirm it constantly, in case any should oppose it. Let him testify to them. It is the same word the Scripture useth to set forth the vehemency of Christ his telling of his Disciples of him that should betray him. And he testifyed, saying, One of you shall betray me. And he testified, that is, he spake it so, as to dash, or overcome any that should have said, It shall not be. It is a word that signifies, That in case any should oppose the things spoken of, yet that the party speaking should still continue constant in his saying. And he commanded them to preach, and to testify, that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judg of quick and dead. To testify, Mark, that is, to be constant, irresistible, undaunted, in case it should be opposed and objected against. So here, let him testify to them, lest they come into this place of torment.
From whence observe, That it is not an easy matter to perswade them who are in their sins alive in this world, that they must and shall be damned if they turn not, and be converted to God. Let him testify to them, let him speak confidently, though they frown upon him, or dislike his way of speaking. And how is this truth verified and cleared by the carriages of almost all men now in the World, toward them that do Preach the Gospel; and shew their own miserable state plainly to them if they close not with it. If a man do but indeed labour to convince sinners of their sins, and lost condition by nature, though they …ust be damned if they live and dye in that condition; Oh how angry are they at it. Look how he judges, say they; hark how he condemns us; he tells us we must be damned if we live and dye in this state; we are offended at him, we cannot abide to hear him, or any such as he; we will believe none of them all, but go on in the way we are a going; forbear, why shouldest thou be smitten, said the ungodly▪ King to the Prophet, when he told him of his sins, 2 Chron. 25. 15, 16.
I say, tell the drunkard he must be damned if he leaves not his drunkenness, the swearer, lyar, cheater, thief, covet…us, railers, or any ungodly persons, they must and shall lye in Hell for it, if they dye in this condition; they will not believe you, nor credit you.
Again, tell others that there are many in Hell, that have lived and dyed in their conditions, and so are they like to be if they convert not to Jesus Christ, and be found in him; or that there are others that are more civil and sober men, who, (although we know that their civili…y will not save them) if we do but tell them plainly of the emptiness, and unprofitableness of that, as to the saving of their souls, and that God will not accept them, nor love them, notwithstanding these things, and that if they intend to be saved, they must be better provided than with such a righteousness as this; they will either fling away, and come to hear no more, or else if they do come, they will bring such prejudice with them in their hearts, That the Word Preached shall not profit them, it being mixed, not with Faith, but with prejudice in them that hear it, Heb. 4. 1, 2. Nay, they will some of them be so full of anger, that they will break out and call, even those that speak the truth, Hereticks; yea, and kill them, Luke 4. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. And why so? Because they tell them, That if they live in their sins, that will damn them, yet if they turn and live a righteous life, according to the holy and just, and good Law of God, that will not save them. Yea, because we tell them plainly, that unless they leave their sins and righteousness too, and close in with a naked Jesus Christ, his bloud and merits, and what he hath done, and is now doing for sinners, they cannot be saved; and unless they do eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his Bloud, they have no life abiding in them: they gravel presently, and are offended at it (as the Jews were with Christ for speaking of the same thing to them, Joh. 6. 53, 60.) and fling away themselves, their souls and all, by quarrelling against the doctrine of the Son of God, as indeed they do, though they will not believe they do; and therefore he that is a Preacher of the Wo…, had need, not only tell them, but testify to them, again, and again, that their sins, if they continue in them, will damn them, and damn them again. And tell them again, their living honestly according to the Law, their paying every one their own, their living quietly with their neighbours, their giving to the poor, their notion of the Gospel, and saying, they do believe in Christ, will do them no good at the general day of Judgment. Ha friends! how many of you are there at this very day, that have been told once and again of your lost undone condition, because you want the right, real, and saving work of God upon your souls? I say, hath not this been told you, yea, testified unto you from time to time, that your state is miserable, that yet you are never the better, but do still stand where you did; some in an open ungodly life, and some drowned in a self-conceited holiness of Christianity? Therefore for Gods sake, if you love your souls, consider, and beg of God for Jesus Christs sake, that he would work such a work of Grace in your hearts, and give you such a Faith in his Son Jesus Christ, that you may not only have rest here, as you think, not only think your state safe while you live here; but that you may be safe indeed, not only here, but also when you are gone, lest you do cry in the anguish and perplexity of your Souls, Send one to my companions that have been beguiled by Satan, as I have been; and so by going on, come into this place of torment, as I have done.
Again, one thing more is to be observed from these words, Let him testify to them, lest they come into this place of torment.
Mark, lest they come in, as if he had said, or else they will come into this place of torment, as sure as I am here. From whence observe, That though some Souls for sin do fall into the bottomless pit of Hell before their fellows, because they depart this World before them; yet the other abiding in the same course, are as sure to go to the same place as if they were there already. How so? Because they are all condemned together, they have all fallen under the same Law▪ and have all offended the same Justice; and must for certain, if they dye in that condition, drink as deep, if not deeper, of the same destruction. Mark, I pray you what the Scriptures say, He that believeth not, is condemned already, John 3. 18.
He is condemned as well as they, having broken the same Law with them: if so, then what hinders, but they will partake of the same destruction with them? only the one hath not the Law yet so executed upon them, because they are here; the other have had the Law executed upon them, they are gone to drink that which they have been brewing, and thou art brewing that in this life, which thou must certainly drink. The same Law, I say, is in force against you both, only he is executed, and thou art not. Just as if there were a company of Prisoners at the Bar, and all condemned to dye; what, because they are not all executed in one day, therefore shall they not be executed at all? Yes, the same Law that executed its severity upon the parties now deceased, will for certain be executed on them that are alive, in its appointed time. Even so it is here, we are all condemned by nature, if we close not in with the Grace of God by Jesus Christ, we must and shall be destroyed with the same destruction; and therefore, send him (saith he) lest, Mark, lest they come into this place of torment.
Again, Send him to my Fathers house and let him testify to them, lest they come into this place of torment. As if he had said, I… may be he may prevail with them; It may be he may win upon them, and so they may be kept from hence, from coming into this grievous place of torment. Observe again, That there is a possibility of obtaining mercy, if now, I say, now in this day of Grace we turn from our sins to Jesus Christ; yea, it is more then possible. And therefore for thy incouragement, do thou know for certain, that if thou shalt in this thy day accept of mercy upon Gods own Terms, and close with him effectually, God hath promised, yea, made many Promises, that thy Soul shall be conducted safe to glory, and shall for certain escape all the evils that I have told thee of; I, and many more then I can imagine. Do but search the Scriptures, and see how full of consolation they are to a poor Soul that is minded to close in with Jesus Christ. He that cometh to me (saith Christ) I will in no wise cast out. Though he be an old sinner, I will in no wise cast him out. Mark, in no wise, though he be a great sinner, I will in no wise cast him out, if he come to me. Though he have slighted me never so many times, and not regarded the welfare of his own Soul, yet let him now come to me, and notwithstanding this, I will in no wise cast him out, nor throw away his Soul, John 6. 37. Again, saith the Apostle. Now (Mark now) is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation. Now here is mercy good store, now Gods heart is open to sinners; now he will make you welcome; now he will receive any body if they do but come to Christ. He that comes to me (saith Christ) I will in no wise cast out. And why? Because now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2, 3. As if the Apostle had said, If you will have mercy, have it now, receive it now, close in with it now.
God hath a certain day to hold out his grace to sinners; Now is the time, now is the day. 'Tis true, there is a day of damnation, but this is a day of Salvation. There is a day coming, wherein sinners must cry to the Mountains to fall on them, to the Hills to cover them from the wrath of God; but now, now, is the day in which he doth hold out his grace. There is a day a coming, in which you will not be admitted to have the priviledge of one drop of water to cool your tongue; if now, I say, if now you slight his grace and goodness which he holds out to you. Ah friends, consider there is now hopes of mercy, but then there will not; now Christ holds forth mercy unto you, but then he will not. Mat. 7. 23. Now there are his Servants that do beseech you to accept of his grace; but if thou lose the opportunity that is put into thine hand, thou thy self mayst beseech hereafter, and no mercy be given thee. And he cryed and said, Father Abraham have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue. And there was none given. Therefore, let it never be said of thee, as it will be said of some; Why is there a price put into the hand of a fool, seeing he hath no heart to it: Seeing he hath no heart to make a good use of it, (Prov. 17. 16.) consider therefore with thy self, and say, It is better going to Heaven then Hell; it is better to be saved than damned; it is better to be with Saints, than with damned souls; and to go to God, is better than to go to the Devill.
Therefore, seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near. Isa. 55. 6. Lest in thy trouble he leave thee to thy self, and say unto thee plainly, Where I am, thither ye cannot come. Joh. 8. 21.
O if they that are in Hell might but now again have one such invitation as this, how would they leap for joy. I have thought sometimes, should God send but one of his Ministers to the damned in Hell, and give him Commission to preach the free love of God in Christ extended to them, and held out to them, if now while it is profered to them they will accept of his kindness; O how welcome would they make this news, and close in with it on any tearms!
Certainly they would say, we will accept of grace on any tearms in the World, and thank you too, though it cost life and limbs to boot, we will spare no cost, nor charge, if mercy may be had. But poor souls, while they live here they will not part from sin, with hell-bred, devilish sin: No, they will rather lose their souls, then lose their filthy sins.
But friend, thou wilt change thy note before it be long, and cry, O simple wretch that I am that I should damn my soul by sin!
'Tis true, I have had the Gospel preached to me, and have been invited in: I have been preached to, and have been warned of this; but how have I hated instruction, and mine heart despised reproof? I have not ob…yed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me. Prov. 5. 10, 11. O therefore, I say, poor soul! I… there hope? then lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and kiss the dust, and close in with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make much of his glorious mercy, and invite also thy companions to close in with the same Lord Jesus Christ, …est one of you do go to Hell before-hand, and expect with grief of heart, your companions to come after: And in the mean time, with anguish of heart do si…h and say,
O send him to my companions, and let him testifie to them, lest they also come into this place of torment!
Now then from what hath been said there, might many things be spoken by way of Use and Application: But I shall be very brief, and but touch some things, and so wind up.
And first, I shall begin with the sad condition of those that die out of Christ, and speak something to that.
Secondly, to the latter end of the Parable, which more evidently concerns the Scripture, and speak somewhat to that.
1. Therefore you see, that the former part of the Parable contains a sad declaration of the state of one living and dying out of Christ; how that they lose Heaven for Hell, God for the Devil, light for darkness, joy for sorrow.
2. How that they have not so much as the least comfort from God, who in the time they live here below, neglect coming to him for mercy; not so much as one drop of cold water.
3. That such souls will repent of their folly, when repentance will do them no good, or when they shall be past recovery.
4. That all the comfort such souls are like to have, they have i… in this world.
5. That all their groanings and sighs, will not move God to mitigate in the least, his heavy hand of vengeance, that is upon them, for the transgressions they have committed against him.
6. That their sad state is irrecoverable; or they must never, (mark) never come out of that condition.
7. There, desires will not be heard for their ungodly neighbours.
From these things then, I pray you consider the state of those that …ie out of Christ Jesus, yea I say, consider their miserable state; and think thus with thy self. Well, if I neglect coming to Christ, I must go to the devil, and he will not neglect to fetch me away into those in…olerable torments.
Think thus with thy self; What▪ shall I lose a long Heaven for short pleasure? shall I buy the pleasures of this world at so dear a rate, as to lose my soul for the obtaining of that? Shall I content my self with a Heaven, that will last no longer than my life▪time? What advantage will these be to me, when the Lord shall separate soul and body asunder, and send one to the grave, the other to hell, and at the Judgement-day, the final Sentence of eternal ruine must be past upon me?
6. Consider, that the profits, pleasures, and vanities of this world, will not last ever, but the time is coming, yea just at the doors, when they will give thee the slip, and leave thee in the suds, and in the brambles of all that thou hast done.
And therefore to prevent this thy dismal state, think thus with thy self. ▪Tis true, I do love my sins, my lusts, and pleasures; but what good will they do me at the day of death, and of judgement? Will my sins do me good then? will they be able to help me when I come to fetch my last breath? What good will my profits do me? and what good will my vanities do, when death sayes he will have no nay? What good will all my companions, fellow jesters, jeerers, lyars, drunkards, and all my wantons do me? will they help to ease the pains of hell? will these help to turn the hand of God from inflicting his fierce anger upon me? Nay, will not they rather cause God to shew me no mercy, to give me no comfort; but rather to thrust me down into the hottest place of hell, where I may swim in fire and Brimstone.
3. Consider thus with thy self; Would I be glad to have all, every one of my sins to come in against me to inflame the justice of God against me? would I be glad to be bound up in them, as the three Children were bound in their clothes, and to be as really thrown into the fiery Furnace of the wrath of Almighty God, as they were into Nebuchadnezzars fiery Furnace.
4. Consider thus. Would I be glad to have all, and every one of the Ten Commandements, to discharge themselves against my soul? The first saying damn him, for he hath broken me. The second saying damn him, for he hath broken me, &c.
Consider how terrible this will be, yea more terrible, then if thou shouldest have ten of the biggest Pieces of Ordnance in England, to be discharged against thy body; thunder, thunder, one after another. Nay, this would not be comparable to the reports that the law (for the breach thereof) will give against thy soul: For those can but kill the body; but these will kill both body and soul; and that, not for an hour, a day, a month, or a year, but they will condemn thee for ever.
Mark, it is for ever, for ever. It is into everlasting damnation, eternal destruction, eternal wrath and displeasure from God, eternal gnawings of conscience, eternal continuance with devils.
O consider, it may be the thought of seeing the devil doth now make thine hair to stand right up on thy head. O but this to be damned, to be among all the devils, and that not only for a time, as I said before, but for ever to all eternity.
This is wonderfully miserable, ever miserable; that no tongue of man, no nor of Angels, is able to express it.
5. Consider much with thy self, not onelyonly my sins against the law will be laid to my charge; but also the sins I have committed in slighting the Gospel, the glorious Gospel: these also must come with a voyce against me. As thus, Nay, he is worthy to be damned, for he rejected the Gospel, he slighted the free grace of God tendered in the Gospel. How many times wast thou (damned wretch) invited, intreated, beseeched to come to Christ, to accept of mercy, that thou mightest have Heaven, thy sins pardoned, thy soul saved, and body and soul glorified, and all this for nothing but the acceptance, and through faith forsaking those imps of Satan, which by their embracements have drawn thee downward toward the gulf of Gods eternal displeasure?
How often didst thou read the promises, yea, the free promises of the common salvation? How oft didst thou read the sweet counsels and admonitions of the Gospel, to accept of the grace of God? but thou wouldst not, thou regardest it not, thou didst slight all?
2. As I would have thee to consider the sad and woful state of those tha… die out of Christ, and are past all recovery; so would I have thee consider the many mercies and priviledges thou enjoyest above some (peradventure) of thy companions that are departed to their proper place.
As first, Consider, thou h…st still the thread of thy life lengthned, which for thy sins, might seven years ago, or more, have been cut asunder, and thou have dropped down among the flames.
2. Consider, the tearms of reconciliation by faith in Christ, is still profered unto thee, and thou invited, yea intreated to accept of it.
3. Consider, the tearms of reconciliation are but (bear with me though I say but) onelyonly to believe in Jesus Christ, with that faith that purifies the heart, and enables thy soul to feed on him effectually, and be saved from this sad state.
4. Consider, the time of thy departure is at hand, and the time is uncertain, and also that for ought thou knowe…, the day of grace may be past to thee before thou diest, not lasting so long as thy uncertain life in this world. And if so, then know for certain, that thou art as sure to be damned, as if thou wert in hell already, if thou convert not in the mean while.
5. Consider, it may be some of thy friends are giving all diligence to make their Calling and Election sure, being resolved for Heaven, and thou thy self endeavourest as fast to make sure of hell, as if resolved to have it: and together with this, consider how it will grieve thee, that while thou wert making sure of hell, thy friends were making sure of Heaven; but more of this by and by.
6. Consider, what a sad reflection this will have on thy soul, to see thy friends in Heaven, and thy self in hell; thy Father in Heaven, and thou in hell; thy Mother in Heaven, and thou in hell; thy Brother, thy Sister, thy Children in Heaven, and thou in hell. As Christ said to the Jews of their relations, according to the flesh, so may I say to thee concerning thy friends, There shall be weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see your Fathers and Mothers, Brethren and Sisters, Husbands and Wives, Children and Kinsfolk, with your friends and neighbours, in the Kingdom of Heaven, and thou thy self thrust out, Luk. 13. 27, 28, 29.
But again, because I would not onelyonly tell thee of the damnable state of those that die out of Christ, but also perswade thee to take hold of Life, and go to Heaven, take notice of these following Things.
1. Consider, that whatever thou canst do, as to thy acceptance with God, is not worth the dirt of thy shoes, but is all as menstruous Rags, Isa. 64. 6.
2. Consider, that all the Conditions of the New Covenant (as to Salvation) are and have bin compleatly fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ, and that for sinners.
3. Consider, That the Lord calls to thee, for to receive whatsoever Christ hath done, and that on free-cost, Rev. 22. 17.
4. Consider, That thou canst not honour God, more than to close in with his proffers of Grace, Mercy, and Pardon of sin, Rom. 4.
Again, That which will adde to all the rest, Thou shalt have the very Mercy of GOD, the Bloud of Christ, the Preachers of the Word, together with every Sermon; all the Promises, Invitations, Exhortations, and all the Counsels and Threatnings of the Blessed Word of God: Thou shalt have all thy Thoughts, Words, and Actions, together with all thy Food, thy Rayment, thy sleep▪ thy Goods, and also all hours, days, weeks, Months, and Years, together with whatsoever else God hath given thee; I say, thy abuse of all these shall come up in Judgment against thy Soul. For God will reckon with thee for every thing, whether it be good or bad, Eccles. 12. 14.
5. Nay farther, it is so unreasonable a thing for a sinner to refuse the Gospel, that the very Devils themselves will come in against thee, as well as Sodom that Damned Crue: May not they, I say, come in against thee, and say, O thou simple man! O vile Wretch! that had not so much care of thy Soul, thy precious Soul, as the Beast hath of his Young, or the Dog of the very Bone that lyeth before him. Was thy Soul worth so much, and didst thou so little regard it? Were the Thunder-Claps of the Law so terrible, and didst thou so slight them? Besides, was the Gospel so freely, so frequently, so fully tendered to thee, and yet hast thou rejected all these Things?
Hast thou valued sin at a higher rate than thy soul? than God, Christ, Angels, Saints, and Communion with them in Eternal Blessedness and Glory? Wast thou not told of Hell-fire, those intollerable flames? Didst thou never hear of the intollerable Roarings of the Damned Ones that are therein? Didst thou never hear or read that …oleful saying in the 16. of Luke, how the sinful man cries out among the flames, One drop of water to cool my tongue. Thus I say may the very Devils, being ready to go with thee into the Burning Furnace of Fire and Brimstone, though not for sins of so high a nature as thine, trembling say, Oh that Christ had died for Devils, as he died for Man! And, Oh that the Gospel had bin preached to us, as it hath bin to thee! How would we have laboured to have closed in with it? But woe be to us, for we might never have it proffered: no, nor in the least, though we would have been glad of it. But you, you have had it proffered, preached, and proclaimed unto you, Prov. 8. 4. Besides, you have been intreated, and beseeched to accept of it, but you would not. O simple Fools! that might have escaped Wrath, Vengeance, Hell-fire, and that to all Eternity, and had no heart at all to do it.
6. May not the Messengers of Jesus Christ also come in with a shrill and terrible Note against thy Soul, when thou standest at the Bar of God's Justice, saying, Nay, Thou ungodly one, how often hast thou been forewarned of this day? Did we not found an Alarum in thine Ears, by the Trumpet of God's Word day after day? How often didst thou hear us tell thee of these Things? Did we not tell thee sin would damn thy Soul? Did we not tell thee, that without Conversion, there was no Salvation? Did we not tell thee, that they who loved their sinnes, should be damned at this dark and gloomy day, (as thou art like to be.) Yet did we not tell thee, that God, out of his love to sinners, sent Christ to die for them, that they might (by coming to him) be saved? Did we not tell thee of these Things? Did we not run, ride, labour, and strive abundantly (if it might have been) for the good of thy Soul, (though now a damned Soul? Did we not venture our Goods, our Names, our Lives? Yea, did we not even kill our selves, with our earnest intreatings of thee to consider of thine Estate, and by Christ to escape this dreadful day? O sad doom! when thou shalt be forced full sore against thy will, to fall under the Truth of this Judgment, saying, O how have I hated Instruction, and how hath my heart despised Reproof? (for indeed) I have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers, nor inclined mine Ear to them that instructed me, Prov 5. 11, 12, 13.
7. May not thy Father, thy Mother, thy Brother, thy Sister, thy Friend. &c. appear with gladness against thee at the terrible day? Saying, Oh thou silly Wretch! How rightly hath God met with thee? O how righteously doth his Sentence pass upon thee? Remember, thou would'st not be ruled, nor perswaded in thy Life-time: As thou didst not care for us, and our Admonitions then▪ so neither do we care for thy Ruine, Terror, and Damnation now. No, but we will stand on God's side in sentencing of thee to that portion, which the Devils must be partakers of. The Righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the Vengeance, he shal wash his foot in the bloud of the wicked, Psal. 58. 10. O sad! it is enough to make Mountains tremble, and the Rocks to rend in pieces, to hear this doleful sound. Consider these Things, and if thou would'st be loth to be in this condition, then have a care of living in sin now. How loth wilt thou be, to be thrust away from the Gates of Heaven, and how loth wilt thou be to be deprived of the Mercy of God?
How willingly wilt thou set foot forward towards the Lake of Fire? Never did Malefactor so unwillingly turn off the Ladder, when the Halter was about his Neck, as thou wilt turn from God to the Devil, from Heaven to Hell, when the Sentence is passed upon thy Soul.
Oh how wilt thou sigh and groan! How willingly would'st thou hide thy self, and run away from Justice: But alas! as it is with them that are on the Ladder ready to be executed, so it will be with thee: They would fain run away, but there are many Halberd-men to stay them: And so the Angels of God will beset thee round, I say, round on every side; so that thou may'st indeed look, but run thou canst not: Thou mayst wish thy self under some great Rock or Mountain, Rev. 6. 15, 16. but how to get under, thou know'st not.
Oh how unwilling wilt thou be, to let thy Father go to Heaven without thee, thy Mother or Friends, &c. go to Heaven without thee? How willingly would'st thou hang on them, and not let them go? O Father, cannot you help me? Mother, cannot you do me some good? O how loath am I to burn and fry in Hell, while you are singing in Heaven! But alas, the Father, Mother, or Friends reject them, slights them, and turn their Backs upon them, saying, You would have none of Heaven in your life-time, therefore you shall have none of it now: You slighted our Counsels then, and we slight your tears, cries, and condition now. What sayest thou sinner, will not this perswade thine heart, nor make thee bethink thy self? This is now before thou fall into that dreadful place, that fiery Furnace. But O consider how dreadful the place it self, the Devils themselves, the fire it self will be. And this at the end of all, here thou must lie for ever, here thou must fry for ever, and for ever. This will be more to thee, than any man with Tongue can express, or with Pen can write: There is none that can, I say, by the Ten Thousand part discover the state and condition of such a Soul.
I shall conclude this then with a few Considerations of Incouragement.
1. Consider, (for I would fain have thee come in sinner) that there is way made by Jesus Christ for them that are under the Curse of God, to come to this comfortable and blessed state of Lazarus, I was speaking of. See Ephes. 2.
2. Consider, what pains Christ Jesus took for the Ransoming of thy Soul from all the Curses, Thunder-claps, and Tempests of the Law; from all the intollerable flames of Hell; from that Soulsinking appearance of thy person (on the left hand) before the Judgment-Seat of Christ Jesus, from everlasting fellowship, with innumerable Companies of yelling, and Soul-amazing Devils. I say, consider what pains the Lord Jesus Christ took, in bringing in Redemption for sinners, from these Things.
1. In that, Though he were rich, yet he became poor, that thou, through his poverty, might be made rich, 2 Cor. 8, 9. He laid aside his glory, Joh. 17. and became a servant, Phil. 2. He left the company of Angels, and incountred with the Devil, Luk. 4. Mat. 4. He left Heavens ease for a time, to lie upon hard Mountains, Joh. 8. In a word, he became poorer, than they that go with flail and rake; yea, then the very Birds or Foxes, and all to do thee good. Besides, consider a little of these unspeakable and intollerable slightings, and rejections, and the manifold abuses that came from Man upon him. How he was falsly accused, being a sweet, harmless, and undefiled Lamb. How he was undervalued, so that a Murtherer was counted less worthy of condemnation than he. Besides, how they mocked him, spa… on him, beat him over the head with staves, had the hair pluckt from his cheeks. I gave my Back to the Smiters, (saith he) and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my Face from shame and spitting. His Head crowned with Thorns, his Hands pierced with Nails, and his Side with a Spear; together, with how they used him, scourging him, and so miserably misusing him, that they had even spent him in a great measure before they did crucifie h…m. Insomuch, that there was another fain to carry his Cross.
Again, not only this, but lay to heart a little what he receiv'd from GOD his dear Father, though he were his dear and tender Son. First, in that he did reckon him the greatest Sinner and Rebel in the World: For he laid the sins of Thousands, and Ten Thousands, and Thousands of Thousands of Sinners to his charge, Esay 53. And caused him to drink the terrible Cup that was due to them all: and not onelyonly so, but did delight in so doing; For it pleased the Lord to bruise him. God dealt indeed with his Son, as Abraham would have dealt with Isaac, I, and more terribly by Ten Thousand parts: For he did not only tear his Body like a Lion, but made his Soul an Offering for Sin. And this was not done fainedly, but really (for Justice call'd for it, he standing in the room of Sinners) witness that horrible and unspeakable Agony that fell on him suddainly in the Garden, as if all the Vials of God's unspeakable scalding Vengeance had been cast upon him all at once, and all the Devils in Hell had been broken loose from thence at once to destroy him, and that for ever; insomuch, that the very pangs of Death seized upon him in the same hour. For, saith he, My Soul is exceeding sorrowful and amazed, even unto death, Mark 14. 33, 34.
Witness also that strange kind of sweat, that trickled down his most blessed F…ce, where it is said. And he sweat, as it were, great drops or clodders of blood trickling down to the ground. O Lord Jesus, what a Load didst thou carry? What a Burthen didst thou bear of the sins of the World, and the Wrath of God! O thou didst not onelyonly bleed at Nose and Mouth, with the pressure that lay upon thee, but thou wast so pressed, so loaden, that the pure bloud gushed through the flesh and skin, and so ran trickling down to the ground. And his sweat was as it were, great drops of bloud, trickling or falling down to the ground, Luk. 22. 44. Canst thou read this, O thou wicked sinner, and yet go in sin? Canst thou think of this, and defer Repentance one hour longer? O heart of flint! yea, harder. O miserable Wretch! what place in Hell will be hot enough for thee to have thy Soul put into, if thou shalt persist, or go on still to adde Iniquity to Iniquity?
Besides his Soul went down to Hell, Psal …6. 10. Act. 2. 31. and his Body to the bars of the Grave. And …ad …, D…th, o… the Grave been strong enough …o hol… him, then he had suffe…'d the Vengeance of Eternal Fire to all Eternity. But O blessed Jesus! how didst thou discover thy Love to Man in thy thus suffering? And O God the Father! how didst thou also declare thy purity and exactness of thy Justice, in that, though it was thine onelyonly, holy, innocent, harmless, and undefiled Son Jesus, that did take on him our Nature, and represen… our persons, answering for our sins, instead of our selves: Thou didst so wonderfully pour out thy Wrath upon him, to the making of him cry out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And O Lord Jesus! what a glorious Conquest hast thou made over the Enemies of our Souls, even Wrath, Sin, Death, Hell, and Devils, in that thou didst wring thy self from under the power of them all? And not only so, but hast led them Captive, which would have led us Captive; and also hast received for us that glorious and unspeakable Inheritance, That Eye hath not seen, n…r Ear heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of Man to conceive. And also hast given thine some discovery thereof through thy Spirit.
And now Sinner, together with this, consider,
Fourthly, That though Jesus Christ hath done all these Things for Sinners, yet the Devils make it their whole work, and continual study, how they may keep thee and others from enjoying of these blessed Priviledges, that have been thus obtain'd for Sinners by this sweet Jesus. He labours, I say,
First, To keep thee ignorant of thy state by Nature.
Secondly, To harden thy Heart against the ways of God.
Thirdly, To inflame thy Heart with love to sin, and the ways of darkness.
And fourthly, To get thee to continue herein. For that is the way, he knows, to get thee to be a partaker with him of the flaming Hell-fire, even the same that he himself is fallen into; together with the rest of the wicked World by reason of sin. Look to it therefore.
But now, in the next place, a word of incouragement to you that are the Saints of the Lord.
1. Consider, what an happy state thou art in, that hast gotten the Faith of the Lord Jesus into thy Soul. (But be sure thou have it) I say, how safe, how sure, how happy art thou. For when others go to Hell, thou must go to Heaven; when others go to the Devil, thou must go to God; when as others go to Prison, thou must be set at Liberty, at Ease, and at Freedom; when others must roar for sorrow of heart, then thou shalt also sing for the joy of heart.
Secondly, consider thou must have all thy well spent Life to follow thee, instead of all thy sins: and the glorious blessings of the Gospel, instead of the dreadful Curses and Condemnations of the Law. The blessing of the Father, instead of a fiery Sentence from the Judge.
Thirdly, Let dissolution come when it will, it can do thee no harm; for it will be but onelyonly a passage out of a Prison, into a Palace; out of a Sea of Troubles, into an Haven of Rest; out of a Croud of Enemies, to an innumerable Company of true, loving, and faithful Friends; out of shame, Reproach, and Contempt, into exceeding great and Eternal Glory. For Death shall not hurt thee with his sting, nor bite thee with his Soul-murmuring Teeth, but shall be a welcome Guest to thee, even to thy Soul, in that it is sent to free thee from thy Troubles which thou art in whiles here, in this World, dwelling in the Tabernacle of Clay.
Fourthly, consider, however it goes with Friends and Relations, yet it will go well with thee, Eccl. 8. 12.
However it goes with the Wicked, yet I know, Mark, yet I know (saith he) that it shall go well with them that fear the Lord, that fear before him.
And therefore let this, in the first place, cause thee chearfully to exercise thy patience, under all the Calamities, Crosses, Troubles, and Afflictions, that may come upon thee: and by patient continuance in well-doing, to commit both thy self, and thine Affairs, and Actions, into the Hands of God, through Jesus Christ, as to a faithful Creator, who is true in his Word, and loveth to give unto thee, whatsoever he hath promised to thee.
And therefore to incourage thee, while thou art here with comfort, to hold on for all thy Crosses in this thy Journey, be much in considering the place that thou must go into, so soon as dissolution comes.
It must be into Heaven, to God the Judge of all, to an innumerable Company of Angels, to the Spirits of just men made perfect, to the General Assembly, and Church of the first-born, whose Names are written in Heaven, and to Jesus (too the Redeemer) who is the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the Bloud of sprinkling that speaks better Things for thee, than Abels did for Cain, Heb. 12, 22, 23, 24.
3. Consider, That when the time of the dead that they shall be raised is come, then shall thy body be raised out of the grave, and be glorified, and be made like to Jesus Christ, Phil. 3. 21. O excellent condition.
4. When Jesus Christ shall sit on the throne of his glory, you also shall sit with him, even when he shall sit on the throne of his glory. O will not this be glorious, that when thousands, and thousands of thousands shall be arraigned before the Judgment-seat of Christ, then for them to sit with him upon the throne, together with him to pass the sentence upon the ungodly, 1 Cor. 6. 2. 3. Will it not be glorious to enjoy those things that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive.
Will it not be glorious to have this sentence, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the Foundation of the World. Will it not be glorious to enter then with the Angels and Saints into that glorious Kingdome? Will it not be glorious for thee to be in glory with them, while others are in unu…terable torments? O then! how will it comfort thee to sea thou hast not lost that glory; to think that the devil hath not got thy soul, that thy soul should be saved, and that not from a little, but from an exceeding danger; not with a little, but a great salvation. O therefore let the Saints be joyful in glory, let them triumph over all their enemies. Let them begin to sing heaven upon earth, triumph before they come to glory, salvation, even when they are in the midst of their Enemies; For this honour shall all his Saints have, Psal. 149. 6, 7, 8, 9.